Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-05-20

the churches in Grafton and Wiudham were
under the pastoral care of her father.
After some years Of study in the high
school at Chicopee, Mass, she spent year
under the instruction of Miss Lyon at South
lIadey She then taught for time in Yer
mont, and went in the fall of 1851 to en-
gage in work then carried on by the Board
among the Choctaws. She returned for
health reasons" AS she expresses IT, in the
spring Of 1856, and since then has been an
invalid-almost helpless Her home now is
with her brother in Springfield Vt. He
says, "She has not taken a step since July,
1853, is unable to dress or feed herself,
cannot put ON her own glasses and still
reads, writes and prays A stranger would
think her almost free from pain, so very
cheerful she seems much of the time" Her
own language is, In one way or another
my life has been linked with other lives in
"A way that has at least lessened the burden
of the waiting time and has been constant
call to Thanksgiving. She does not men
ton the cause Of her disease rheumatic
trouble, - as her brother says-but the fol-
lowing words from her give an intimation
as to the cause of the trouble IF talking
with you, might speak Of a large unhnish
ed room that first winter, with no way to
warm it. only enclosed by hewn clapboards,
breezes having all their own way on three
sides" etc. We shall all agree with her in
the following words "They should not
have had a teacher there till room was
made comfortable"
Miss Harriet McCormic went from Graf
ton, as Miss Arms says at the same time
that she went, to the same mission for the
same kind of work. A few years later
she became the wife of Rev o. P. Stark
Of that mission. He died about six years
ago and she now has a home with daugh-
ter whose husband is pastor of Presbyte
rian church in Paris, Texas.
Miss Chloe NJ. Bigelow came with her pa
rents to Brattleboro, from Warwick, Mass.
when about ~ years of age. She went
with the ladies just mentioned TO the Chloe
taws, but from illness was obliged TO leave
her work in 1854. Having regained her
health she afterwards went to Virginia to
teach. In May 1857, she was married to
Rev. John K Harris, a graduate of Viii
liams college and Union theological semin-
airy. Since then they have both been most
usefully employed as teachers and home
missionaries first among the mountains of
western Virginia, and later in Nebraska,
where they now are. The following quota
| ton from letter Of Mrs. Harris to an in
innate friend indicates what her spirit must
what my hands find to do as much us if
were in China or Japan = And the same
friend says this in keeping with her whole
life"
Miss Martha Ann Harris was native of
Westminster and member Of the Congre-
gatiOnal church. Mrs. Stoddard, her asso-
ciate in Persia, says she resided in Homer,
n y, for some time before going abroad.
She left America in 1851, spent the winter
in Constantinople, and joined the HISTORIAN
mission early the next spring. She was
married to Rev. Samuel A. Rhea OF that
mission in October. 1854, and afterwards
| lived and labored in the mountains of Kur-
distan most of the time till her death. The
following is from DR.. Anderson's history
Mrs. Rhea had been two years a member
Of the mission as Miss Harris, and three as
Mrs. Rhea. Her active and useful life
closed on the It'll of December, 1851, at the
age Of 29years and > months" DR. Wright.
missionary physician there, said Her
sick room was hallowed place where the
sun of righteousness shone with wonderful
brightness Mrs Stoddard, her associate
from the time she arrived in Persia till she
died says "She was very successful in her
work, both AS teacher and missionary, and
a most estlmable lady in every respect.
| She was a very dear friend to me -
The missionary of whom | shall now
speak spent several years in this county
and was ordained here, though born in a
| foreign land of parents who were both ma
tives of Massachusetts Alfred H. Burnell
was born in Ceylon and went with his pa
rents to Madura in 1856. He came to
America in 1865 and had his home with rel
atives in Westminster West till he return
ed to India. He was educated at Williams
college and Auburn theological seminary.
graduating from the latter in 1881 He
was ordained at Westminster West in 1881,
married daughter of Rev. VIM. W Smell
Of Rushford Mimi. and joined the Madu-
ra mission early in 1882 On account of
i'll health he was obliged to leave India in
December last and reached this country in
| February, The following is an extract
from a small newspaper published in that
! mission under date of Dec. u. 1886 ::
| lowing to i'll health Rev. A. H. Burnell of
| Mana Madura this day leaves Madura on
a visit to the United States 1t is hoped
that a furlough of year or two in a cold
er climate may restore him to health and to
the very useful work he has been prose
cutting for the last four years"
The following gentleman, though not an
ordained missionary, was for six years en-
gagged in work so similar to the work of
many missionaries that | think a brief ac-
count of him will be acceptable. VIM. +.
Hitchcock, native of Westminster West,
graduated at Amherst college in 1879 EN-
barked for Ceylon in October of the same
year and commenced teaching in Jaffna col
lege in January 1890. At the request of
the directors of the college he remained
two years longer than his first engagement,
left there in January 1886 and reached this
country in May. DR.. Hastings, president
of the college, gives very favorable testi-
mony both of his Christian character and
his ability and success as a teacher.
Rev. Edwin +. Bliss, d. D., who went to
| Turkey as a missionary of the American
Board in 1913 was born in Putney. But
the family removed to Massachusetts in his
early childhood.
From the foregoing account we learn
that during the "A years including 1928 and
1913, nine ordained ministers and the wives
of two have gone from the Congregational
churches of this county to engage i'll for
eign missionary work. Wealso learn that ex
cepting one born in Ceylon, whose parents
We're both natives of Massachusetts,, not
single missionary has been sent from these
churches for 40 years and not an unmmar-
ried lady for 30 years. According to the
Congregational Year Book just published
the present membership of these churches
is $3.50, Are they doing their duty in re
gard to foreign missions The harvest
truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. ~
There was never louder call for foreign
missionaries and assistant missionaries than
now. l believe the encouragements offer
ed were never so great. If it is the duty
of these churches to send none, from
whence should they be sent The Lord
make known to all their duty and enable
/ them In 10 IL faith fully